Immunological reactivity of tumor associated glycoproteins prepared by affinity chromatography.

Crude 3M KCl extracts prepared from tumor tissue and ascitic tumor cells of methylnitrosourea-induced fibrosarcoma of CBA mice or of a human stomach adenocarcinoma were gelfiltrated on Ultrogel AcA 34. Single fractions of these preparations were incubated with spleen cells of tumor bearing mice or blood peripheral lymphocytes. The response was detected by MEM-technique. Antigenic activities were found in molecular weight ranges from 200 to 300 kD (P1) and from 40 to 70 kD (P2). Single glycoproteins of the P1- and P2-fractions could be separated by affinity chromatography on immobilized D-galactose specific mistletoe lectin I, as detected by electrophoresis on microgradient gels (1.2-40%) or on SDS polyacrylamide slab gels. Especially the isolated glycoproteins of the P1-fractions are responsible for the observed antigenic reactivity, assayed in vitro by the MEM-technique and in vivo by foot pad swelling test.